Dear Margaret,

From my perspective it is okay to cut the rolls and store the negatives in acid-free paper envelops. Be sure to store them in acid-free boxes. The number of frames depends on the size of the paper envelops you plan to use (we cut them to frames of four because this is the size of the holders for our scanner). For the treatment please check <http://www.knaw.nl/ecpa/photo/preser01.htm>, it depends if it is b/w or color. It is also necessary to check the material of the negatives, some materials are chemically unstable in the long run. I would suggest to consult your state archive for further advice.

Werner Schweibenz
Photo library
Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz 
Max-Planck-Institut
via Giuseppe Giusti, 44
I-50121 Firenze

phone: 0039-055-24911-39
fax:   0039-055-24911-76

> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: Museum discussion list 
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Im Auftrag von M Martin
> Gesendet: Donnerstag, 28. September 2006 00:58
> An: [log in to unmask]
> Betreff: [MUSEUM-L] questions on storing negatives (roll)
> 
> 
> I'm helping a local non-profit finish a photographic survey, 
> and am wondering how we should store the negatives. The 
> photographer had them processed, and the negatives weren't 
> cut -- it's just a single long roll. Right now, the negatives 
> are each in their own paper envelope (8 rolls), but this 
> obviously isn't good for long-term storage.
> 
> Would it be OK to cut the negatives into the standard lengths 
> (I think it's 7 frames for 35mm film?)? Does this require 
> special equipment? Or is there some reason to keep them in 
> this format?
> 
> I'm very concerned that the negatives will not be properly protected
> -- they're in danger of being crushed. I've looked around for 
> heavy-duty small archival boxes made for storing negatives 
> like this, but haven't found anything. All I saw was archival 
> sleeves (or tubing). The organization that owns the negatives 
> isn't very good at keeping things organized and safe, so it 
> would be much better if I could put the negatives in a binder.
> 
> Any ideas, comments, or recommendations, would be greatly 
> appreciated. Thanks!
> 
> -- 
> 
> Margaret
> [log in to unmask]
> 
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